Cinema International Corporation Video
Background: CIC Video was a home video distributor owned by Cinema International Corporation (CIC), and its succesor United International Pictures (UIP), and operated in some countries by local operators. Outside of the United States, it distributed films by Universal Studios and Paramount Pictures, CIC's partners. DreamWorks films were added to the company output in 1998, as the fledgling studio had a worldwide video distribution deal with Universal. In 1999, CIC Video was dissolved when Universal purchased PolyGram and reorganized its video division under the Universal name. Paramount Home Entertainment became CIC's successor. Cinema International Corporation Video 1st (known) Logo (1980-1986) Nickname: "Cloudy Blue/Purple" Logo: On a cloudy blue (or purple) background, we see the letters "CIC" in a very fat font with "VIDEO" below it. Later Variant: Same as before, but it added a CIC "Chain" on the "I". FX/SFX: None. Music/Sounds: None. Availability: The normal version is seen on a UK pre-cert release of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. It's also seen on (at least) PAL tapes in the UK and Germany released during this logo's lifespan. Scare Factor: None; it's just boring. 2nd Logo (1986-1990) Nickname: "CIC in Space" Logo: Set against a black-blue gradient background, we see several stars. They move all over, forming the a chain, and the "CIC", which is made of metal draws itself in, and "VIDEO" flies in below. Variants: *It's not very common in the UK and Germany, but on Aussie, Brazilian, and Argentine PAL, this variant is common: Just before the logo settles in place, a white flash is seen, and the logo is now set against a light blue background. Sometimes, only the still logo is seen, like on some Japanese tapes and LaserDiscs, as well as VHDs (basically the country's version of CED). *One variant has the CIC Video logo (blue background version) "morph" into the Paramount logo, which them morphs into the Universal logo. This was only seen on some South American videos as the beginning of a short promo. *Some blue background variants have the logo zooming out to the top as a light blue marquee with white lines fades in below reading "GREAT FILMS", along with "from the Hollywood studios of PARAMOUNT & UNIVERSAL", which would lead into sneak previews of upcoming movies. FX/SFX: The logo parts coming together, the "morph" effect. Music/Sounds: A weird synthesizer tune with two pairs of "doo-doo"'s at the end, rising in pitch. Availability: International only. Best place to check is in a place like Europe, Australia, or South America. Examples include the original UK issues of The Naked Gun and Back to the Future Part II. One tape that the blue background variation is the Police Squad: Volume One tape. Tapes in Asia and Africa may have this logo, too. This logo may also come after a home video logo from that country (such as AVH in Argentina and ITI in Poland). Some tapes that the blue background variant with the marquee include the original UK retail releases of Saturday Night Fever and Back to the Future. Scare Factor: Medium; some people might get a little jumpy with the music. The morphing effect may set some people off too. 3rd Logo (1990s) Logo: On a lavender background, we see a filmstrip passing by us at an angle with "CIC VIDEO" on it. Suddenly, one of the CIC Video logos rises from the filmstrip and faces the screen. The "chain" flies forth and brings us the Portuguese words "qualidade de quem é original" (loosely, "genuine and original quality"), then bounces around and lands in the I of CIC. FX/SFX: Everything. Music/Sounds: The same music of the previous logo, then a whooshing sound, then the same music again. Availability: Rare; this was seen on Brazilian PAL tapes from the time. Scare Factor: Low. 4th Logo (1986-1992) Nickname: "The CIC Filmstrip" Logo: We see a chrome filmstrip with 3 boxes in it. The box on the left has an engraved Paramount logo (Gulf+Western) in it, the middle box has an engraved CIC Video logo in it, and the box on the right has an engraved Universal logo in it (a wireframe globe inside a stylized U with "UNIVERSAL" below). Suddenly, the CIC logo turns full color (that is, blue and white) and zooms up, taking up the entire screen. Variant: On some tapes, after the 2nd CIC logo forms and turns blue, it zooms out onto the scrolling filmstrip and "dissolves" into its respective space. We then see the word "PREVIEWS" or "PREVIEW" in gold scrolling past. On Chilean tapes released by Video Chile, a voiceover is used. FX/SFX: Everything. Music/Sounds: A deep bass sounder, then when the CIC Video logo zooms in, the "doo-doo, doo-doo" music kicks in. Availability: Extremely rare, as it is seen on some UK rental tapes from CIC Video, used in tangent with the second logo. It can also be found on plenty of South American tapes as well, particularly NTSC-formatted tapes from Blancic Video in Venezuela, Kyron Home Video in Colombia, and Video Chile in, well, Chile. Scare Factor: Low to medium. 5th Logo (1990-1997) Nicknames: "CIC & Friends", "CIC & Universal", "CIC & Paramount" Logo: On another black-blue gradient background, lights draw in the metallic CIC logo, and the word "VIDEO" turns in place. Once it's done, one of these variants happen: *The logo zooms out to the left, in a box, against the same type of background. Then, in another box to the right, Paramount's "CGI Mountain" logo animates. *In Australia, the logo would zoom up to the top, and two boxes would play the Paramount and Universal logos below it. Then, the CIC Video logo would zoom in again towards the viewer. *When Universal movies outside of North America were on tape, the logo would zoom out to the right, against the same type of background. Then, in another box to the left, Universal's logo animates. FX/SFX: All the animation in this logo. Cheesy Factor: Light effects may be cheesy, though. Music/Sounds: A dreamy synth-orchestra tune. Music/Sounds Variants: On some tapes including Star Trek: The Next Generation: Volume 22, the tune is higher in tone. Availability: On many PAL tapes in the UK and Australia. This may have been on early DVDs (region 2 in the UK, region 4 in Australia) as well. Strangely this can also be found on Tom & Jerry: The Movie in Australia despite distributed by Turner Pictures (there is no change to the logo). CIC tapes released in the UK after 1993 but before 1997 did not have any logo. Scare Factor: Minimal. 6th Logo (1996-2000) Logo: On a moving blue-purple cloudy aurora background, we see the CIC logo of the time, but in metallic blue, which zooms in towards the viewer. The logo shines once as in rotates, by the time the logo is facing the viewer, the chain glows, causing the flash to appear, forming the word "WELCOME" below the CIC logo. Then the camera zooms into the logo whilst turning anti-clockwise which flashes to white, transitioning to either one of its bumpers or a advert. FX/SFX: Nice CGI effects, even perfect for 1997. Music/Sounds: A peaceful chord-like tune. Availability: Seen on Paramount and Universal releases in Australia and the UK at the time. Examples include most Rugrats tapes released in the UK during that period, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Star Trek: First Contact, Good Burger, Mission Impossible, Harriet the Spy and the Season 5 and 7 tapes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as well as Season 3 and 5 tapes of Star Trek: Voyager. A UK video release of Beavis and Butt-Head Do America might have this logo as well. Scare Factor: None. CIC-Esselte Video (Sweden) (1982-1985) Nickname: "The Next Boring CIC Logo" Logo: Over a plain electric blue background, the same CIC Video logo from the previous logo fades in, but it's smaller and near the top. "Distribution" and "ESSELTE VIDEO" fades in below, with an "X" in a circle next to "Esselte Video". FX/SFX: Just the fading in of the logos. Cheesy Factor: Where's the REAL animation? Come on now, cough it up! Music/Sounds: The same logo from the CIC Pictures logo, brass horns and all. Availability: On old PAL tapes in Sweden, but that's it. Scare Factor: Low; the music may catch you off-guard, but other than that... booooring! Rigby-CIC (Taft) Video (Australia) (1982-1986) Nicknames: "Medeival Rigby-CIC-Merlin", "Hollywood at Home" Logo: On a light blue background, the text "Rigby-CIC Video Presents" fades in, in a very fancy-looking font. Then it just fades out, and we see the warning screen scrolling. When the warning screen is done, one of two logos fades in: *On CIC Video releases a 2D white CIC logo appears. A version has been spotted with the "prototype" (chain-less) logo. *On Merlin Video releases the Merlin Video logo fades in, which is a gold-colored shield with "Merlin" in a very "Shakespearian" font, and "VIDEO" in a very cheap font. Variants: *The warning screen may be in a Helvetica or Century Gothic-like font. Tapes branded with "CIC-Taft" use a Courier New-like font. Later releases replace "Rigby-CIC" with "CIC-Taft". FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Not much can be said about animation, that's for sure! Music/Sounds/Voice-over: *A triumphant fanfare at the beginning, a mellow synth jazz tune in the middle, and another triumphant fanfare at the end. There is also an announcer saying, "Rigby/CIC ( or CIC-Taft ) Video proudly presents, a spectacular range of the finest full-length feature films and animated family favourites, from the studios of Universal, Paramount, and other major film production houses. The movie you have selected is one from the comprehensive Rigby/CIC (or CIC-Taft) Video catalogue, which enables you to enjoy these authentic movies in the comfort of your own home. So now, it's Hollywood at home!" *Can also be silent. Availability: Can be seen on old PAL tapes from Australia. Scare Factor: None. Category:Home Entertainment Category:National Amusements, Inc. Category:Viacom Category:Comcast Category:NBCUniversal Category:Cinema Category:International